The quiet area around Gramercy Park looked like a scene from a crime movie yesterday, as city officials and the district attorney’s office launched an early morning raid on the tony National Arts Club.

The probers hauled boxes of documents from the ornate Gothic brownstone housing the embattled organization, which for more than six months has been under investigation for dodging sales and income taxes.

The 6 a.m. raid is the latest in a long string of scandals for a 104-year-old city institution that once counted Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson as members.

City officials and the Manhattan DA’s office would not discuss specifics of the search. But nearly a dozen city agents removed loads of papers for more than eight hours.

The club has been under investigation since last May, when a weekly Gramercy newspaper, Town & Villager, published an article accusing the club of tax evasion – then took the usual step of mailing the clip to Finance Department investigators.

According to the paper, the club could owe as much as $200,000 per year on $2 million in unreported income from dining and catering. The club has denied the allegations.

Club President O. Aldon James Jr. could not be reached for comment yesterday.

His spokesman, Ken Sunshine, watched the investigators search the Gramercy Park South headquarters. He said: “Mr. James is cooperating fully with the investigation.”

James, who has been charged with no crime, has denied all the allegations and says club dissidents have a vendetta.

One angry member came down to the club yesterday to watch the search.

“We’ve had questions about the club’s finances for years,” said member Cynthia Bowles. “I’m glad it’s coming to a head.”